Tavis Smiley
Enlighten. Indiana University alumnus Tavis Smiley is the host of the late night PBS talk show Tavis Smiley, as well as the radio program The Tavis Smiley Show, distributed by Public Radio International (PRI).
He also offerred political commentary twice weekly on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Smiley is the first American to simultaneously host signature talk shows on both public television and public radio.
In 2004, he became the youngest African American to have a professional school and center on a college or university campus named after him when Texas Southern University honored him with the opening of the Tavis Smiley School of Communications and the Tavis Smiley Center for Professional Media Studies.
In addition to his broadcast work, Smiley is the author of 12 books. One of his latest books, What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America (Doubleday), made the New York Times best seller list, and the Covenant with Black America, which he edited, reached No. 1 on the New York Times best seller list.
On his Web site, “Tavis Talks,” he says that three E’s drive his life: enlightenment, encouragement, and empowerment. “To enlighten, encourage, and empower” is also the mission of his nonprofit organization, the Tavis Smiley Foundation, a leadership training and development program for African American youth.
But there’s a fourth E that also plays a large role in Smiley’s life and work: education. The oldest of 10 children, Smiley came to Indiana University with only $40, a suitcase, and his admission letter. But thanks to his passionate determination to study at IU, he won a scholarship and was able to attend. Despite a painful incident that occurred his junior year—his friend was killed by white Indiana police officers in a supposed act of self-defense—Smiley finished his bachelor’s degree in public affairs in 1986 (he officially earned his degree in 2003). His friend’s death sparked the first of Smiley’s many political and social advocacy campaigns, as he helped lead protests to defend his friend, whom he believed had been wrongfully killed.
Smiley has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for his advocacy and broadcast work, including:
- Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award, the National Association of Minorities in Communications;
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) Image Award for best news, talk, or information series for three consecutive years (1997-99) for his work on BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley and for Tavis Smiley on PBS (2005-2007); and
- Doctor of Humane Letters degree, Indiana University Kokomo.
Tavis Smiley gave the commencement address at IU Bloomington on May 5, 2007, the day after receiving IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, the highest honor granted by the school.
